Taste of Life
by Orange Lantern Tsume
Summary: (Slight AU) Raven can't hide the fact that she's a vampire forever, especially not from the boy she loves. When he begins to catch on, will he accept her, or hate her? RobinRaven. R&R! Ch5 UP!
1. Bittersweet

Taste of Life 

By Blackheart Syaoran 

AUTHOR: Hope everyone likes this.  I try my best.  

Note: This is a Robin-Raven pairing.  

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Chapter 1: Bittersweet 

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"Has anyone seen Raven?" Starfire asked.  "It is almost time for dinner."  

Beast Boy shrugged.  "She's probably in her room, like always."  

"No," Cyborg said, "she's on the roof.  Saw her heading up there a couple hours ago."  

"Ah, thank you," Starfire smiled, and put down the wooden spoon she was stirring her latest meal with.  "I shall go retrieve her."  

"No," Robin said, moving towards the hallway, "I'll get her.  You should finish cooking."  

Starfire smiled.  "Thank you, Robin.  Now I may continue making the Pudding on Contentment."  

Though the team's leader was out of earshot, Cyborg and Beast Boy felt their stomachs groan in horror.  

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She liked the peace of mind she could get on the Tower's rooftop.  Up here, especially at night, she could unwind and nobody would interrupt her.  She didn't need meditation to relax when she was on the rooftop, at night, watching the stars.  

And while she watched, she fed.  

Her hunger wasn't as "rampant" as many would imagine, but it still had to be sated from time to time.  All things considered, it wasn't very hard being what she was.  

A Goth. 

A social outcast.  

A predator.  

A member of the undead.  

A _vampire_.  

Casually, Raven lowered her hood, letting a gentle breeze stir her hair.  It was a warm night in the city, and she rather liked that.  Despite her seeming status as an ice queen, she could be rather hot, and not just of temper.  

The rooftop entrance opened behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Robin eyeing her.  

"Dinner's going to be ready soon," he told her.  "You okay?"  

"Fine," she replied in her standard monotone.  She was about to look away when she noticed something: The evening light played on Robin in such a way that his skin appeared much paler than it normally was.  Cocking an eyebrow, she thought with interest, _He'd make a good vampire_.  

"Something wrong?" he asked when she kept staring at him.  

Turning away and back to the cityscape, she said, "No, I'm all right.  I'll be down shortly."  

Robin nodded.  "See you in a few."  

And then he had gone, leaving Raven with a small smirk on her face.  

_Yes, he would make a_ very _good vampire_, she thought, admiring him.  _If only I could_… 

She frowned at that last thought.  She'd have made her move on Robin when the team first formed, but had immediately noticed Starfire's attraction to the young hero.  It seemed that the alien girl was instantly taken by Robin's dashing good looks, intriguing voice, and mysterious ways.  Then again, who wouldn't be?  

_I should really get going_, she thought, and rejoined her teammates.  They were all ready to eat, seated around the kitchen table.  Raven normally preferred to eat at the table in front of the TV, but this time decided it would be fine to be with her friends.  

As soon as she was seated, however, she noticed that one of her favorite meals was missing: Non-garlic garlic bread.  

Sighing, she stood, attracting the others' attention.  

"Is there something wrong with your meal, Raven?" Starfire asked.  

"No garlic bread," she said curtly, and continued towards the rows of cabinets.  She took out the bread and other necessary components for her meal, making sure to grab the garlic substitute and not the real thing.  

While she got her things, Beast Boy quickly got up and grabbed the real garlic, intently sprinkling some on a couple slices of the bread Raven had cut.  He hoped the Goth girl wouldn't be angry with him for suddenly wanting a piece.  

He dashed back to his seat as she turned to grab the tray and pop it in the over for a few minutes.  Amazingly, the other Titans didn't even realize he had gotten up, or they simply hadn't cared.  Either way, when Raven returned to her seat with her bread, he grabbed a piece, earning himself a small glare.  

"What?" he asked innocently.  

She rolled her eyes and took a piece for herself.  She could feel her mouth watering in anticipation.  The Gothic Titan opened her mouth and slid the piece in, swallowing it whole from eagerness— 

And immediately regretted it as acid tore its way through her throat.  

Raven lurched forward, her digestive system vomiting up the offending food and sending it spewing into Starfire's pudding.  The alien girl let out an "Eek!" that lasted a full minute, even as Robin dove to Raven's aid and Cyborg tried to comfort Starfire.  

"Raven, what is it?" Robin demanded.  "What's wrong?"  

Though she dearly wanted to tell him, her throat was still burning as though she had downed a bucket of red-hot coal.  Instead of trying to speak, she knocked her seat aside and, using her powers, rocket for her room.  

Reaching it quickly, she slammed the door shut before it could do so automatically, and locked it so none would enter.  Then, knowing she was safe, at least for the moment, she used her powers to unlock a particular drawer on her dresser.  She had made sure the dresser was designed so that there was only a lock on the inside; you couldn't correctly open it without telekinesis.  

The second the drawer was open, Raven grabbed the small bottle of dark red liquid that lay in it.  The stopper flew off and she was gulping the liquid hungrily, draining the bottle completely.  When it was empty, she took several deep breaths to test her breathing and, satisfied that she was healed well enough, put the bottle back, put her hood up, and turned to exact her own brand of justice on Beast Boy.  

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"Raven!" Starfire gasped, and flew over to the spooky heroine as the latter approached the group.  "Are you all right?"  

"Fine," Raven said stiffly, still stalking straight towards Beast Boy, who seemed to be shivering half to death with fear.  As she drew nearer, she said grimly, "Be afraid.  Be _very_ afraid."  

Beast Boy almost wet himself.  

"What were you _thinking?_" Raven demanded.  "As you've just found out, I'm rather allergic to garlic.  It can, and maybe almost did, kill me.  It's _not_ a pleasant experience.  Maybe if you had _asked_ to put some of that repugnant substance on my food, this wouldn't have happened, but since it did, I'm going to give you a very rough time for quite a while, just to make sure you don't forgot.  Got it?"  

Beast Boy nodded numbly.  

"Good."  And with that, Raven turned on heel and stormed back to her room.  

Robin, wearing a hard expression on his face, glowered at Beast Boy.  "We're going to have a _long_ talk.  Right now."  

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As her door closed shut, Raven sighed heavily and leaned back against it, feeling rather miserable.  She deeply wanted to tell the truth to her friends, but after all the things that had been done to the human-vampire relationship, she was honestly afraid to.  

Looking up to the ceiling, sorrow in her eyes, she thought, _I just want someone who can understand me.  I want someone already like me_.  

_I want_ you, _Robin_.  

_I_ love _you_.  

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AUTHOR: Short, but it's only the first chapter.  

READ N REVIEW!  


	2. Behind Violet Eyes

Taste of Life 

By Blackheart Syaoran 

AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!  

TO ChocolateCurlz: Actually, you're the _second_ reviewer, but close enough, right?  And check the "TO ALL" note for your special prize!  

TO Le Chat de Darigan: I think I know the fic you mentioned.  

TO Dark Weezing: Yes, the reverse _is_ ridiculously abundant, and if you take a deep breath, you should stop Weezing so Darkly. (That was a harmless joke.)  

TO drache: What's with the German?  I had a friend translate, and it didn't make sense.  

TO ALL: This chapter is dedicated to ChocolateCurlz!  

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Chapter 2: Behind Violet Eyes 

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_Nobody knows what it's like _

_To be the bad girl _

_To be the sad girl _

_Behind violet eyes _

_(Modified lyrics from Limp Bizkit's "Behind Blue Eyes" song.)_  

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_Stupid Beast Boy_, Raven thought with a frown as she swallowed a ketchup packet's contents—at least, it would have been a ketchup packet if ketchup were the contents.  Ingeniously devised, and much resembling packets of condiments, the little packets of blood were cheaply—or, more often, freely—distributed to vampires everywhere.  Humans had no idea what was going on, since the business companies of the modern-day world could be hidden away behind digits and smooth words.  And vampires had always been good at hiding.  

_Why couldn't I have turned out a_ werewolf _instead?_ Raven wondered sourly as she carelessly tossed the emptied packet into her wastebasket.  _I know it hurts a lot, but I don't think Mother would have minded if her daughter transformed into a hairy beast for three nights every month—I know_ I _wouldn't have_.  _It would have been better than hiding on hot days and endlessly behind fed like a barbarian_.  

For a second, Raven imagined herself as a werewolf: A tail, paws, a light coating of purple-and-gray fur, and the ears…all while wearing her costume.  

_Ugh_, she groaned mentally.  _I don't do cute very well, _do_ I?_  

Sighing, she rolled off her back and off her bed, grabbed her cloak, and headed for the training room.  

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Robin had just taken the head off the training dummy with a sweep kick when he saw Raven enter the room.  Relaxing himself, he looked over to her, only to receive a greeting nod before she moved to her own part of the room and began her own session.  

Frowning, Robin considered his options.  He could walk over and talk to her, which was what he _really_ wanted to do; he could respect her the way he should and wait until she was finished; or he could make like a coward and say nothing until she spoke first.  

His frown grew bigger.  _I am not a coward_, he thought crossly, and strode towards her.  "Raven?" he asked.  

"What?" she asked in return, not opening her eyes as she hovered above the floor.  

"Could I speak with you?"  

"Technically, you already are."  

"I meant about last night."  

"Look, it's very personal, so I would greatly appreciate it if you let me get back into the groove Beast Boy so incompetently knocked me out of, okay?"  

"No," Robin said, "it's _not_ okay.  You said yourself that you could have been killed because of that garlic.  What if you _had_ died?"  

"Two things: One, you and only you can have all of my possessions; and two, you would have gotten over it very quickly."  

Robin stared at her.  "How can you say that?"  

Raven opened her eyes, giving him a cold look.  "Don't pretend you and Starfire don't like each other.  You two practically put on war paint when one of you is hurt."  

"Just because I care for her doesn't mean I don't care for _you_.  Have you ever considered that maybe I'm concerned about all human life?"  

"Except for Slade's, of course."  

Robin gave her a hard expression.  "I'm not a killer."  

"I didn't say you were.  What I meant is that you care less for Slade than just about anyone else."  

"But I _do_ care.  People are an integral part of my life."  

"Then why not tell them?"  

Robin didn't answer immediately.  He looked over at the decapitated dummy, his heart aching.  "Because if you tell someone you love them, they'll die."  

It was Raven's turn to stare.  She could barely believe what he had just said.  _That's almost as inhuman as_ Slade _is!  How could Robin_ believe _such a thing?_  

"It's true, you know," he continued.  "I only had to tell my father I loved him once, just one time, and then Two-Face put a bullet into him."  

"Robin," she said, forcing the words out, "just because you think that's true doesn't mean it is."  

"How would you know?" he asked, almost waspishly.  

Raven became very somber as she replied, "Because I loved my mother, and she's still alive, somewhere."  

Robin cocked an eyebrow.  "Do you know where?"  

Raven shook her head.  "I have absolutely no clue."  She looked at him, her eyes glistening even as she fought to maintain her detached attitude.  "I was never even allowed to _see_ her.  In _any_ form.  No drawings, no letters, no whispered messages passed along by the other people I lived with…no contact at all.  I can't even tell you how forbidden it was for us to make physical contact."  

Robin was astounded.  Growing up with the Batman, he had developed some isolated habits, but what Raven had just described…it was completely shocking.  

Raven was still talking.  "I never knew my mother, but I still love her.  You have no idea how much it hurts for me to think about her, at all, but I know she isn't dead, and if she is, it's not because I loved her."  

Though he wanted to believe her, Robin had still seen many things in his superhero career that proved otherwise.  Loving someone openly, in any fashion, made them a target for monsters like Two-Face or the Joker or Slade.  He had learned that it was indeed better to be cold than cuddly.  

"I have to go," he said abruptly, and left Raven standing there.  

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_Robin, wait!_ Raven thought, reaching out to the door he had vanished through.  Knowing it was futile to try and speak again with him, at least for the day, Raven dejectedly lowered her hand and also left the training room.  

Wandering the halls, she found herself in Cyborg's garage.  The man-machine was halfway under the T-Car, most likely doing modifications.  As he worked, Raven looked about to see if Robin was here, while hoping he wasn't.  It was not as though she didn't want to be around him, but she knew he would avoid her for a while, until he was ready to speak again.  

"Whatcha need, Raven?" Cyborg asked as he continued to work under the vehicle.  

Raven raised an eyebrow.  "You knew it was me?"  

"I have sensors all over this room, just in case Beast Boy decides to goof around when I'm not looking—or even when I am.  Need help with something?"  

Raven hesitated before answering.  Should she tell him what had just happened, or did he not need to know?  "No, I was just trying to find Robin," she said, unsure if she was lying or not.  

"Any reason?"  It was like he suspected something.  

"No.  I'll leave you alone."  

"Suit yourself."  

As Raven made her way to her room, she kept thinking increasingly unpleasant thoughts.  _He doesn't believe in telling people he loves them, obviously, so he and Starfire should get along perfectly with one of those "don't-need-to-be-spoken" relationships.  If it were me, he'd have to say he loved me, which is something he'd never do to anyone_.  Her heart began to beat harder.  _And let's face it, Raven of Azarath, what human would ever consciously love a bloodsucking monster?_  

Thinking this only made her dread of the future grow.  She knew what she had to do, but now it was going to be even harder.  _Those two belong together, and I belong to the Cold and the Darkness.  Such is my fate…the fate of a monster_.  

"Raven!" Starfire cried cheerily, popping up in front of the Goth.  "I am glad to find you!"  

Raven blinked.  "You are?"  

Starfire nodded.  "Ever since your accident, I have been most worried for you, and I wish to speak with you over developing matters."  

Raven was bemused.  "Developing matters?"  

Starfire grinned.  "It was obvious, friend Raven, that Robin and yourself are hiding something."  

_Oh no_, Raven thought, her mind leaping automatically to the conclusion that Starfire had learned she wasn't everything she seemed.  _But what does Robin have to do with it?_  

"What are you talking about?" she asked the alien girl.  

Starfire chuckled.  "Raven, I am not jealous that you and Robin—"  

The Goth cut her off immediately.  "We are _not_ in a romantic relationship, Starfire."  

Starfire only laughed again.  "Raven, after what I witnessed from Robin, I cannot be mean to him and ruin the love you two share!"  

_Great_, Raven thought.  _She thinks Robin and I are in love_.  "Starfire, let me make this very clear to you: Robin only cares about me as a teammate.  If you think I'm lying, ask him yourself, or think about how much he's done for you."  

Starfire shook her head, still grinning.  "Raven, even though Robin cares deeply for me, it is forbidden for a Tamaranian princess and a mere human to marry.  My parents would only consider him briefly before making a most likely negative decision if he were of royal blood, and though I am sure he is, I have no proof, and thus marriage is forbidden."  

Her smile grew.  "But since this team came together, I have paid close attention to Robin.  I noticed that every time he looked at you, it is with the face of someone who wishes that they could know more about someone.  Robin is already very satisfied with me, but I know that if he and I were to freely love, it would ultimately be fruitless.  He does not care if he knows nothing more about me, because he is already happy with what he _does_ know.  However, he knows very little about you, and thus wishes for more knowledge.  On Tamaran, when a young lover wishes to know about a potential mate, they are always very curious.  I know some things are different, but it is the same everywhere in the universe.  The more you know about someone, the more you love them.  

"Robin is like this because, although he would be very happy with me, he has said that he is glad with me the way I am.  Therefore, if I were to change by telling him more about myself, he would not benefit, and neither would I.  You, Raven, would benefit, because if you and Robin discussed yourselves, you two would grow to love each other more than you already do, and thus would be happy when married."  

Raven was frankly shocked at what she had heard.  Starfire was, put simply, giving up on chasing after Robin and handing victory over to a competitor!  

_But I don't belong with him_, Raven thought, her resolve hardening.  _Mortals belong with mortals_.  "Starfire, I realize you aren't as dense as you might seem, but I can never be with Robin."  

Starfire was confused.  "Why not?  Is it forbidden by your home's laws?"  

"You…yes, you could say that," Raven said, her chest suddenly feeling as though it was made of lead.  "It's my fault, Starfire.  It's because of me that Robin and I can never have a relationship, and I accept that.  I honestly sometimes wish I could have a relationship, but he'd be better off with someone else, even Blackfire, since they had the makings of a good couple.  I just…I just can't, I'm sorry."  

Without another word, she moved past Starfire and down the hall, vanishing into her room.  

The alien girl watched the Goth's door, thinking to herself.  After a moment, she began to grin.  _Friend Raven is being dishonest with herself.  She merely wishes for others to be happy, but if she asks for nothing, then she will be miserable.  I_ must _get her to admit her true feelings_.  

Her grin now very mischievous, Starfire flew to her own chamber.  

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In her room, Raven stared at her reflection, her wonderings growing deep and dark.  

_Does Robin see me when he stares at my "reflection"?_ she thought.  _Does he suspect the truth, or something else?  Does he see the truth when he sees me?  Does he realize that, no matter what, I'll never be human enough for him?_  

Does he gaze at me and see… 

…the sad girl… 

…the bad girl… 

…behind violet eyes?  

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AUTHOR: Getting better, isn't it?  I wrote this in about two hours!  

NEXT: Everything I Know Parts I & II.  

READ N REVIEW!  


	3. Everything I Know Parts I & II

Taste of Life

By Blackheart Syaoran

AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait, but my girlfriend had her birthday and then there was Mother's Day, getting injured at work, and mowing some lawns, so I was busy!

TO ChocolateCurlz: Yes, you are the first for chapter 2.  But there may yet be a need for violence.  And you may make an appearance in some of my Titans fics, as I promised. 

TO Dark Weezing: Trust me in that Raven's origin will be rather "fitting." 

TO DarkWolfBlade: Technically, there is _no_ "blood ceremony."  That's just Anne Rice doing her own stupid thing.  (Can you tell I hate her?  She just plain _sucks_ at vampires.) 

TO Cynthia-Sparrow: Too bad for you I'm already a Lycan. 

TO ALL: This chapter is dedicated to Dark Weezing, because (he) asked some very good questions in (his) last review. 

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Chapter 3: Everything I Know

Part I: Trip Like I Do

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_Can't you _

_Can't you trip like I do? _

_(Lyrics from the_ Spawn _movie album's first track by Filter and The Crystal Method_.) 

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She had been planning it very carefully, ever since she had been told that a relationship with an Earthling would earn her only shame.  It hadn't been so easy then, especially the part where she'd had to convince Cyborg to install a hidden camera in Raven's room and plug the feed into her own bedchambers. 

But, the same as then, her reason was that she wanted to help her friend, and Starfire meant what she had said. 

As she watched her sleeping teammate, she glanced at the computer screen's clock, noting that the Goth girl had been asleep for only about two hours.  _They should be taking effect any moment now_, the alien princess thought.  She sincerely hoped they worked right; it had been difficult getting the package into Raven's room without being noticed. 

Now, watching the sleeping half-demon girl, Starfire inwardly prayed that everything would go according to plan.  _If I cannot love, then someone must, for Robin's sake, at least_. 

And then she noticed Raven shifting in her sleep, apparently having a potent dream.  Starfire smiled.  Her plan was beginning to work right before her eyes. 

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"Robin, stop," Raven half-pleaded, giggling like a schoolgirl. 

The boy ignored her, burying his face deeper into the crook of her neck.  As he did so, her body rocked back, bumping against the kitchen wall, even though she was seated at the edge of the countertop.  Her cloak had been removed some time ago, when the mush session had begun, but that wasn't very important. 

"Robin, are you trying to suffocate yourself?" she asked. 

Pulling away for a second, he replied, "Trying to give you a hickie" before face-diving back in. 

Raven's eyes widened right before she felt something bite into her neck, causing her to cry out.  Robin immediately pulled away, and she instinctively felt for the wound.  Finding it, she blinked as she realized he had just given her what he wanted to. 

"Great," she said, eyeing him coolly.  "You just gave me a hickie.  What do you have to say for yourself?" 

Grinning, Robin leaned forward, placing his hand on either side of her.  "Just that I love you." 

Raven snorted.  "No, you appreciate me.  There's a difference.  You and I both know you love Starfire." 

Wrapping his arms around her, he said, "I don't do star hussies." 

Raven blinked in surprise, right before Robin leaned forward and planted a firm kiss on her lips.  He held there, not pulling away, and, surprised as she was, she didn't break the kiss either. 

_What's he_ thinking? Raven thought.  _Starfire's going to kill him.  I've got to do something_—

Robin then took things up a notch.  He slowly ran his fingers up her spine, starting from the base and stopping at the nape of her neck.  As he did so, she shivered, her lust for him steadily rising.  However, what he did also made her arch her back so that her chest pressed against his. 

Finally breaking the kiss, Robin asked with a smirk, "Was I any good?" 

The girl gave him a lopsided smile.  "Not bad, but I say you should stop.  Starfire isn't going to be happy when she hears we've been making out when she isn't around." 

Taking his right index finger, Robin began tracing a line up the inside of Raven's left thigh.  "I really don't care _what_ she thinks of us." 

"Robin, I don't think you should be that cold towards her.  She's actually allowed to feel emotions like love, you know." 

Robin ignored her, his finger drawing ever closer to her crotch.  Frowning, she grabbed his wrist, earning his attention. 

"No," she said flatly.  "You aren't getting in _this_ leotard." 

Robin grinned at her.  "You know that part of you wants it, Raven.  I'm not stupid; I've seen those little jealous looks you throw at Starfire and I all the time.  You so want to get in bed with me." 

Raven eyed him coolly.  "Robin, I'll be honest in that I do have feelings for you, but I don't want to sleep with you.  It's wrong." 

The Boy Wonder laughed.  "One day, you're not going to have that excuse to fall back on, and I'm going to father all kinds of beautiful little children for you." 

Again, Raven snorted.  "Yeah, someday." 

There was a moment of silence, and then Robin snapped his fingers. 

"Hey, today's someday!" 

Before she could do anything, he had his arms around her again.  This time, though, he didn't stop at kissing her: He lifted her off the countertop and carried her over to the couch, not breaking their kiss, even as he laid her down on the couch, with himself on top of her. 

_Is he doing what I_ think _he's doing?_ she wondered.  When he began running his one hand up her right flank, with his other hand resting on her left flank, she knew her suspicions were being proven correct.  The second he started massaging her right breast and subsequently doing soft thrusts, she knew he had sex on the brain. 

But, try as she might, she couldn't make it stop.  In fact, she seemed to want it to _keep going_. 

_What's_ wrong _with me?_ Raven thought.  _I can't be having this kind of relationship with my leader!_  She was about to open her mouth and protest when she felt something warm and slimy tickle her lips.  _Oh, great, now his tongue wants to explore my mouth_. 

"Robin, I—" she began, but was cut off as his tongue slipped into her oral cavity, and his mouth covered hers.  _This can't be happening.  It's just not right.  It can't be real_. 

As she thought this, she became aware that, somehow, all her remaining clothing had been removed, and that both she and Robin were completely nude.  Even as this registered, Robin began fulfilling the purpose of the missionary position… 

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…making Raven moan both in her dream and in her room in the real world. 

Abruptly, the dream ended, and Raven shot bolt upright in her bed, panting heavily.  As she slowly calmed down, she put a hand to her forehead, feeling both the chakra and the layer of sweat she had worked up. 

_Ugh_, she thought, _a wet dream_. 

Sighing, she moved to climb out of bed for a towel, and as she did so, she heard a faint clinking noise, as well as a soft squishing one.  _What?_ she thought.  Deciding to investigate the clinking noise, she reached under her pillow, where she thought it had come from, and pulled out a handful of small, shiny pebbles.  _Okay, now what?_ 

Next was the squishing noise.  Steeling herself in case it was something unpleasant, she reached under her sheets, her hand gliding over the mattress towards the foot of the bed.  Feeling nothing, she pulled her hand back, and then felt a wet spot.  She frowned, feeling it carefully.  It seemed to be right about where her… 

"Gross!" she said, just at the mere thought.  Still, she had to make sure it was or was not a Beast Boy prank.  Steeling herself again, she shifted her hips and, upon sensing heaviness in the crotch of her leotard, she cautiously reached down. 

"Yuck!" she said.  The wetness had indeed come from her crotch.  It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that her dream had caused her to release in her sleep, and that, as a result, the fluid had seeped through her leotard and onto her mattress. 

_Great_, she thought with pure sarcasm.  _Just great.  Now I need to rub that dry with my towel and get some sleepwear_.  Scowling, she stalked over to her closet and opened it up, finding dozens of leotards, cloaks, and boots for her Titan-related business.  Unwilling to "damage" another costume, she grabbed a pair of pajamas and some underwear, and then set to work with the towel. 

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"Morning," Raven muttered as she strode towards the tea she so desperately desired.  She was still dressed in her pajamas, which were colored deep purple and made of smooth, shiny silk, and consisted of a button-down long-sleeve top and pants. 

"Good morning, friend Raven," Starfire said, a bit too cheerily for the Goth.  "How was your night?  Well, perhaps?" 

Apparently, she had taken notice of Raven rubbing her eye repeatedly.  The lavender-haired girl was sure it was just an eyelash, as she had not gotten enough sleep to accumulate the green material called "sleep." 

"I simply love your clothing, friend Raven," Starfire said with a smile.  "It is most lovely, as is Robin's." 

Cocking an eyebrow, the Goth looked over to the couch, where Robin sat slumped.  He, too, was dressed in pajamas exactly like her own, only they were completely black.  Personally, Raven was sure that his would have been red.  Either that, or yellow. 

"Sure, Starfire," Raven said.  She then made her way to the teapot and poured a small cup for herself, not much in the mood for chatting.  Taking a seat as far from Robin as the couch would let her, she sniffed the steam coming from the cup and scrunched up her nose.  Earl Grey.  Not her favorite, but digestible nonetheless. 

As Raven began drinking, Starfire looked around.  "Where is Cyborg?" 

"He's still in his room at this hour," Robin told her. 

"Thank you!" Starfire said, and flew off without another word. 

Raven glanced at the team leader.  He had his arms crossed over his chest, and seemed to be thinking quite deeply.  Either that, or he was in one of those moods.  Exhaling, Raven took a sip of her tea, and Robin suddenly spoke up. 

"I saw you die last night," he said in an emotionally detached voice. 

Taken aback by his words, Raven coughed for a moment.  After she settled down, she asked, "What?" 

"Not for real," Robin explained, still not looking at her.  "It was in my dream.  Do you do any dream interpretation?" 

"A little.  Or rather, not very often." 

"What did you dream about?" 

Still quite astonished by what he had said, she told him flatly, "That you made passionate love to me on the couch." 

To her great surprise, Robin only nodded. 

"And you?" she asked.  "You said you saw me die in your dreams." 

He sighed heavily.  "Kinda, yeah.  We were all at this funeral.  It was going to rain, with this gray, overcast sky, and a really gloomy atmosphere.  I kept thinking that you weren't going to make it in time, and when I looked at the coffin, this long, shiny black coffin, it opened up." 

There was a pause, and Raven asked, "And then?" 

"And then I saw _you_ inside the coffin.  You were just lying there, like you were sleeping peacefully, your costume all crisp and clean.  You even had your hands on your chest, like that upside-down 'V' look that vampires do in the movies.  The moment I saw you, I couldn't breathe. 

"Right then, it started raining.  But it wasn't normal rain.  Time itself seemed to slow down when the rain started.  I remember sensing something horribly wrong, and so I leapt towards you, like I was trying to save you.  I didn't reach you, though.  It's like I froze in mid-air and then the first drop of rain landed right on your chakra. 

"When that happened, this…this kind of liquid fire just consumed you, and then everything else.  But I wasn't affected; I just stood there, screaming my lungs out.  At that point, I woke up, completely drenched in cold sweat."  He paused to look at her.  "What do you think it means?" 

Her expression as neutral as she could keep it, she said dryly, "That you need a girlfriend." 

He frowned.  "That wasn't funny.  I'm still freaked out from that dream." 

"It was just a dream." 

He shook his head.  "Dreams can help you predict the future." 

Raven cocked an eyebrow.  "Really?  You don't seem the type to believe that.  It's more my thing than yours." 

"You'd be surprised by what I believe in." 

Shrugging, Raven returned to her tea. 

/

Hiding out of sight just beyond the entrance to the living room, Starfire raised an eyebrow at what she had heard.  Apparently, putting some Tamaranian lust pebbles under Raven's pillow and some Tamaranian sorrow pebbles under Robin's pillow had worked quite well. 

_Now, to find Cyborg and continue with our plan_, the princess thought, and moved down the hallway. 

/

"What were you and Raven talking about earlier?" Beast Boy asked. 

He and Robin were in garage, working on the R-Cycle.  Well, actually, Robin was working, and Beast Boy was handing him the requested tools and whatnot. 

Not pausing in his work, Robin answered, "Dreams.  I had a bad one last night." 

"No kidding?  I had one too." 

"Oh yeah?" 

Nodding, Beast Boy said, "I was taking a dump, and when I looked in the toilet, I saw that my turd looked like my head." 

"Beast Boy, could you do me a favor and never speak of that again?" 

Chuckling sheepishly, the changeling said, "Right.  Sorry."  After a pause, he asked, "Do you think Raven likes me?" 

"Why do you ask?" 

"Because I don't know if she does love.  I mean, she's like the Ice Queen of the Titans." 

"I think she cares about you despite how she acts." 

"You think she could ever love me?" 

"Her powers are driven by emotion.  If she does love you, it'll have to be one of those 'cold comfort' things." 

"What about Starfire?  Think she digs short green guys?" 

"Well, you _do_ go well with her eyes," Robin pointed out, and pushed himself out from underneath the R-Cycle.  "All done." 

As the two admired his handiwork, Beast Boy asked, "What'd you do?" 

Robin blinked.  "Good question.  I honestly don't know." 

/

Part II: All Love Has Turned To Hate

/

/

/ 

/ 

_Time after time _

_All love has turned to hate _

_But we stick by _

_Each other's side _

_(Lyrics from Korn's "Everything I've Known" on their album Take A Look In The Mirror_.) 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

"I'm going out," Raven said, flipping up her hood and striding towards the door. 

"Do we need to know where?" Robin asked without looking away from the TV guide. 

"No," Raven said curtly as the large front doors slid shut. 

Shrugging, the Boy Wonder went back to hunting down a good show, hopefully on the Discovery or History Channel.  As he wasn't looking, he didn't see Starfire, sitting at the kitchen island, give Cyborg, who was at the TV, a fractional nod.  Discreetly, the other button on the control console, setting off the Tower alarms. 

"What, what is it?" Robin demanded, leaping up from the couch. 

"Forced entry at a local nightclub," Cyborg reported.  He summoned up a city map, which displayed a blinking yellow dot.  "Got the address." 

"Download it to the R-Cycle," Robin ordered, and ran for the garage.  "I'm heading out." 

As he left, Beast Boy rushed in, looking bewildered by the alarms. 

"Guys, what is it?" he asked.  "A crime?" 

"Nah, just testing the system," Cyborg said in a casual tone.  "Go back to playing with your dolls." 

His face beet red, Beast Boy said indignantly, "I do _not_ play with dolls!" before storming off.  When he had gone, Starfire and Cyborg shared a grin. 

"We must thank Beast Boy for telling us about the R-Cycle when this is all over," Starfire said.  "He has been of much help." 

"Yep, sure has.  Robin should get there shortly after Raven does." 

/

The club was called The Devil's House.  It was, quite frankly, huge, with three stories to its height in addition to a sprawling size.  Its size seemed to rival that of an open field.  The exterior was sleek, black, and designed with a mix of modern and old Goth designs. 

The bouncers at the front were human, but extremely professional; no expense could be spared in ensuring the safety of the club's vampire patrons.  Included in the BlackShield Security professionalism was the ability to spot vampires among humans, which is how Raven and her brethren easily came and went. 

As she strode past the bouncers, they each gave a fractional nod, and she continued to the front door, going through it.  Normally, grabbing the handle would cause an electric shock to force someone back, but, as the system required life signs to react to and vampires weren't exactly alive, she had nothing to worry about. 

Beyond the door, in the foyer, Raven encountered the coat-check girl, declining to abandon her cloak, even to a fellow bloodsucker.  There was an elevator to the left, its door covered with hypnotic Gothic symbols.  Raven traced a few patterns with her eyes, not really listening to the roaring sounds of Rob Zombie as they radiated from further down the foyer, where the "party area" of the club was, before the door slid open, and she stepped in.  Inside, she saw the operator for the night, a young-looking vampire-wannabe called DarkWolfBlade.  Because of the name, most vampires associated the kid with lycans, and because of the controversy caused by the name, the kid was on hold, pending a date with a pair of fangs. 

Knowing what Raven wanted, the kid hit the black button labeled "HADES," and the elevator descended.  After less than a minute, the ride was over, and the door slid open.  Immediately, Raven's ears were flooded with the relentless ravings of Marilyn Manson. 

Exiting the elevator, Raven began wading through the sea of black-leather-and/or-latex-clad bodies as she moved towards the bar.  The entire way, people thrashed this way and that, dancing like freaks to the music selected by DJ Dark Weezing.  Of course, the DJ didn't have a very diverse set of choices for music: Only "Goth" music was allowed at this level of the club, which, contrary to the button, was called The Underworld.  Hades was a real place, but it was located somewhere else, and only the upper echelons of vampire society knew where. 

"Bloody Mary," Raven said as she placed herself on a stool.  As there were only a few people drinking at the bar, she was quickly served, and took a large mouthful of her selection, being careful not to cause any to go where it would cause suspicion among her teammates. 

"See you got your usual," a youth said, taking a stool next to her. 

Raven swallowed and looked at the boy.  He hadn't appeared as a vampire when she had first met him, but after encountering him in the club, she'd learned his little secret. 

"Hello, Goth," she said coolly, shifting her attention back to the "Bloody Mary."  It wasn't the human drink, but instead a glass of premium-blend blood with a small umbrella stuck in it. 

"So, what's been happening lately?" 

"I think my hemoglobin count is low, because I had this bizarre dream last night." 

Goth cocked an eyebrow.  "Bizarre, you?  Hard to imagine." 

"It happened." 

"What was the dream about?" 

"You'd laugh." 

"No I wouldn't." 

Eyeing him, Raven said, "This boy had sex with me." 

Goth, interestingly enough, was rather unfazed.  "Beast Boy?  Freaky." 

"Not him, someone else.  It was just me and some boy having sexual intercourse." 

"Did you see his face?" 

"No," she lied, "he was just having his way with me.  I can't figure it out." 

"I thought you did that dream interpretation stuff?" 

Raven frowned at him.  "I do." 

"Then maybe you should use that to help you." 

Raven sighed, summoning up the proper interpretation for her dream.  "It doesn't mean anything.  I'd have to look at the other things in my dream."  At Goth's stare, she continued, "He made out with me, okay?" 

"Did either of you mean it?" 

"I'm sure he did, and I think I did too, so that means a life of contentment." 

Goth shrugged.  "Guess you'll be happy, then." 

Raven frowned.  "I doubt that.  I'm a vampire on a superhero team.  There's no possible way for me to be happy through love." 

"That's speaking very pessimistically." 

"I tend to look on the down side of things.  So sue me."  

"You want something?" the bartender said, looking at Goth. 

"What?  No, I'm fine." 

Shrugging, the solemn-looking vampire moved off, leaving the pair alone. 

"You know," Goth said, restarting the conversation, "if you think about the larger picture, things aren't that pessimistic." 

"Meaning?" 

"Meaning that if you're capable of dreaming about sex, you're probably capable of having it." 

Raven rounded on him, looking very annoyed. 

Goth held up his hands.  "Hey, don't shoot me for agreeing that you're kind of an ice queen." 

Raven rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to her drink.  Suddenly, she felt something very subtle brush her mind, as though someone familiar were nearby.  _Possible, but unlikely_, she thought, dismissing the chance that someone was snooping around. 

"Anything else happen, other than the dream?" Goth asked. 

"Beast Boy put some garlic on my food, but I recovered.  He has no idea that I'm a vampire." 

"Does anyone else in your group?" 

Raven shook her head.  "I doubt it.  Starfire knows my life's story, which I told her out of necessity, but I conveniently left out the part where my demon side manifested in the form of vampirism.  Beast Boy and Cyborg are clueless despite running into my father, and Robin, while suspicious about everyone and everything, hasn't asked any questions." 

"I remember that Robin kid.  He's kinda cute." 

"Do you have any idea how homosexual that sounded?" 

"I was trying to speak from a girl's point of view." 

"Problem is, you're a guy.  A vampire, but a guy." 

"So?  Guys can get away with calling guy things cute." 

Raven shrugged.  "If you say so." 

"But is he, you know, cute?" 

"I guess." 

"Would you bite him?  I mean, he's, like, the only human on the team." 

Raven though for a moment before answering.  "Only if I absolutely had to.  I wouldn't let him die, but I'd be extremely reluctant to make him immortal." 

"Would you love him?" 

"What's with the questions?" Raven asked suspiciously. 

"Just curious about this new angle to you.  But come on.  Would you love him?" 

"Only if he weren't a lycan.  If I fell in love with him and he were a lycan, I'd shudder at what our children would be." 

"What if you fell in love with him and then he _became_ a lycan?" 

"I don't want to even think that." 

She finished off her drink just as a band, Gothic Shadow, came on stage, with the DJ introducing them.  Raven barely paid any attention as they began to play, their eerie wailings tempting her to listen. 

Abruptly, there was a cracking sound, followed immediately by someone screaming, which was in turn followed by a multitude of people gasping, as well as the band stopping its music.  A collective gasp filled the room, and Raven actually turned to look—and spotted Robin. 

He had obviously fallen through the ceiling, his costume sprinkled with dust.  Shaking his head, he looked up from his spot on the stage, smiling sheepishly. 

"Whoops," he said.  "Guess I better leave you guys alone." 

And without another word, he leapt upwards and vanished through the hole he had made.  The moment he was gone, everyone broke into a mixture of reactions. 

"_Satan!_" one vampire girl, seemingly fifteen, said, all aflutter.  "He really is _so cute_!  Do you think he'll come back?" 

"I hope so!" another vampire girl said.  "I want to try and get a date with him!  Maybe he'll let me _bite_ him!" 

"You really think he'd let you turn him?" 

"Why not?  Vampires rule!" 

"Damn it!" someone swore.  "He knows about us now!  He'll tell the lycans!" 

"He's right!" another vampire agreed.  "Robin probably _works_ for those damn lycans!  He's probably one of them!" 

This caused a reaction among the entire room.  Numerous vampires swore, while quite a few (mostly females) looked pissed at the idea of Robin being an enemy.  One of the two girls, the one who wanted to date Robin, punched the male vampire who had spoken. 

"You take that back!" she demanded.  "Robin's practically one of us!  Like that Batman dude!" 

"Seems you've got a problem now," Goth observed. 

"Unfortunately," Raven said, frowning.  "This isn't going to be easy to solve." 

"Want help?" 

"Maybe later." 

At that, she let darkness consume her, teleporting back to the Tower. 

/

"Cyborg, are you absolutely sure there was a break-in at that nightclub?" Robin asked, striding up to the TV. 

The other entered a few commands into the computer.  "Positive.  System seems to check out and—damn!" 

"What?" 

"We got an E-mail virus.  I'm deleting it right now.  Apparently, Beast Boy opens his spam." 

Robin scowled.  "See if you can upgrade the firewalls.  That nightclub was packed with Goths." 

"One of whom was I." 

The two boys rounded, finding Raven standing at the far side of the room.  After a moment, she approached them, looking decidedly forbidding. 

"Robin, could I speak with you?  Privately?" 

Glancing at Cyborg before answering, Robin said, "Sure." 

"Good."  Without waiting for him to match her pace, she started for the hallway, and he followed after her.  When she stopped, they were outside his room.  Turning to him, she said tersely, "In."  He went inside, and she entered behind him, closing and locking the door.  "What were you doing at that nightclub—aside from running away?" 

He looked her in the eye and said, "I was investigating a false break-in alert Cyborg picked up right after you left.  Why?" 

"Your little 'interruption' made a lot of the people there angry.  A good deal of them are going to want you dead." 

"Why?  I left right after arriving." 

"That's not important.  What is important is that they think you're a spy for their enemies." 

"Wait, who _are_ all these people?" 

"Let me put it simply: You accidentally gatecrashed a vampire nightclub.  They aren't real vampires like in movies, but they are a full-blown subculture whose rivals are, always have been, and always will be the lycans." 

"The lycans being werewolves." 

"Exactly.  The vampires think you're either a lycan or an agent for them, and while some of the love-obsessed girls don't care if you are, a lot of others do.  They _will_ try to kill you, Robin." 

"But if they're just a subculture—" 

"Robin, you have to realize that some of them are fanatics.  They either take it to an extreme, or they believe they really are supernatural creatures.  I know for a fact that the fanatics will take every shot they can get at you, and they aren't as stupid as you might think." 

"I have precautions." 

"Have you ever tried to kill someone before?" 

Taken aback by the question, Robin hesitated.  "No." 

"You should try it.  Pick someone obvious, like yourself, where their home is the biggest building in the city and you'd recognize them anywhere.  And then spend every waking moment thinking up ways to get to them.  You'd be surprised at how many different ideas you can come up with." 

"I get the point." 

"No, you don't.  The point is that you have to give me a sample of your blood so that I can prove to the others that you aren't secretly in league with the lycans." 

Robin narrowed his eyes.  "My blood?" 

"They'll want proof." 

"Can't you take a strand of hair?  It's got DNA in it, too." 

Raven eyed him for a moment.  "I could, but they might reject it." 

"Why?" 

"Because they're rather obsessed with the whole 'bloodsuckers' image." 

"Kinda sad when your life boils down to that, huh?" 

Raven sighed.  "Look, just give me some blood and this will all be over." 

Shrugging, Robin produced a small, silver gun from his utility belt.  Raven saw it was the kind that doctors used to inject and remove fluids, and Robin performed the latter use, siphoning off a sample of dull red blood for the Gothic Titan. 

"Happy?" he asked. 

"Much more than you can imagine," she replied with dry sarcasm. 

As she moved towards the door, he asked, "What were you doing there, anyway?" 

"I'm a Goth." 

"But not everyone there was." 

Frowning, she turned from the door, facing him.  "What are you talking about?" 

"You already know I can do a lot of things.  One of those things is sensing whether or not something is right.  When I was in that club, I got the very strong impression that I wasn't exactly wanted there.  I could practically feel the shock and anger those clubbers radiated." 

Raven felt her throat constrict.  Sensing things?  But if Robin was sensing things, either he was a vampire like her, or… 

_He's a lycan!_ she thought, feeling her muscles tense.  Even if he chose not to use his beastly powers, his fighting prowess was dangerously higher than hers, as Slade had proven when he had forced Robin into servitude. 

"Raven, you in there?" Robin asked, waving a hand in front of her face. 

Blinking her eyes, the girl slapped his hand aside.  "I'm fine," she said curtly.  "I don't need _you_ worrying about me."  _Great.  Letting my hatred for the lycans show to one.  Perfect, Raven, perfect_. 

Robin cocked an eyebrow.  "No need to get testy, Raven.  I'm just concerned." 

"And I said you didn't need to be.  I can take care of myself." 

"I say the same thing all the time, and look at what's happened to me." 

"I don't need to," she said, and turned back to the door while muttering, "dumb animal." 

"What was that?" Robin asked sharply. 

_Damn_, Raven berated herself.  _Forgot about their hearing_.  "Nothing." 

"It wasn't nothing, Raven." 

She glared at him.  "It's none of your business, okay?" 

"If my teammates are muttering things about me under their breath, it _is_ my business." 

"Trust me.  You aren't missing anything important." 

Robin came up to her, staring down the mere two inches of height difference.  "I want to know what you said, Raven." 

Without turning, she reached back and pressed the button to open his door, hearing the whoosh of the portal opening.  "I'm not talking." 

She took a step into the hallway, but he grabbed her arm. 

"I'm serious," he said in a low voice, and she could hear the quiet growl in his throat. 

"So am I," she said stiffly.  Her eyes flared white, and Robin was thrown back onto his bed.  As he propped himself onto his elbows, Raven said coldly, "You may think that just because you're the leader of the team, and the toughest hero your age, that you can get what you want, but things don't work like that. 

"You get what you want out of Starfire and the others because they like you.  Because they love you. 

"But I don't like your or love you, Robin. 

"I hate you." 

As Robin stared, stunned silent, Raven turned coldly and left. 

/ 

/ 

AUTHOR: Hope you all liked that.  I've got a few ideas about where to take Robin and Raven's "new" relationship in coming chapters.  Don't be afraid to submit any of your own ideas; I just may use them. 

NEXT: Sweet Amber

Previews!  Note that these are subject to change. 

1) Her hand, cold as ice, smacked against his cheek.  Robin's head snapped to the side, his cheek burning from Raven's slap. 

2) "The poison, which I've placed in the cup on your kitchen counter, will start to take effect very shortly," Slade said.  "Enjoy your last moments alive, Robin."

Aqualad's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he stared at the cup in his hand. 

He'd just drank the poison! 

READ N REVIEW! 


	4. Sweet Amber

Taste of Life

By Blackheart Syaoran

AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!

TO BlackShield: Explain what?

TO Flick-chan: Why, thank you very much.

TO Dark Weezing: Actually, there was no masturbation; Raven just had a _really_ good dream. Right now, Raven only has strong suspicions that she's exercising.

TO Blue Savage: You will find out why Aqualad is around in this chapter.

TO copykat1118: I don't know, is Robin a lycan? Let's see a show of hands: Who wants him to be a lycan?

TO Le Chat de Darigan: Actually, the movie is Underworld. The confusion will clear up once I explain her hatred of lycans, which should be soon.

TO Rayven NightShade: Elements of my story were influenced by Underworld, but I didn't get the idea from it.

* * *

Chapter 4: Sweet Amber 

_She deals in habits, deals in pain _

_I run away, but I'm back again _

_(Lyrics from Metallica's "Sweet Amber" on their album St. Anger.)_

* * *

"Fi-na-lly!" Cyborg cried loudly, throwing his arms up. "Vacation time! Uh, uh, uh, can't wait to hit the beach!" 

The living room was populated only by Beast Boy and Starfire, the latter looking rather put out. Beast Boy was, incredibly, playing Super Mario Bros. with a bored expression.

Strolling further into the room, the man-machine said, "Don't tell me no one's looking forward to the beach?"

Beast Boy snorted. "Dude, with what's been going on with Robin, I don't think the beach would cure him."

Cyborg blinked. "Say what?"

Starfire sighed. "It is true. Robin has locked himself in his room, and has not left it for the past three days. He will not even speak to me."

Scratching his chin, Cyborg said, "Come to think of it, Raven's been acting kinda weird too. She keeps telling me to go away whenever I try to talk with her."

"Does that mean we will not be going to the beach?" Starfire asked sadly.

"No, I'll talk to them both," Cyborg said. "They won't gripe at me for bothering them as much as they would at you."

* * *

Robin paused in his work to sigh and drop his head down. "Cyborg, I really don't want to talk about it." 

"Come on, man," the other insisted. "We all want to take a vacation, and Aqualad said he's willing to watch the Tower for a while."

"No."

"There'll be chicks in swimsuits."

"No."

"Bikini-clad honeys, Robin."

"No."

"Splashing around in the water," Cyborg continued in alluring tones.

"No."

"You can sit back and watch their sweet little jugs bounce up and down, and get some eye candy from those irresistible booties."

Robin sighed again. "Cyborg, for the last time, I am _not_ going."

* * *

"Unhand me!" Robin yelled, struggling to free himself from the carpet that he was rolled up in. 

"Sorry, Rob, but it's for your own good," Cyborg replied as he carried his leader into the living room and tossed him onto the couch. "Now you just sit here and relax while I go get Raven."

When the man-machine had left, Beast Boy took a seat next to Robin, a mischievous grin on his face.

"What are _you_ looking at?" Robin asked testily.

Cracking his knuckles, Beast Boy replied, "My latest victim." Without another word, he leapt onto Robin, clawing furiously at the carpet. "Feel the deadly tickle of Beast Boy! Hahahahahahaha!"

"Beast Boy, I'm rolled up in a carpet. I can't feel anything you're doing."

The green metamorph never felt more depressed.

* * *

Raven was trying to figure out what to do with her life when Cyborg knocked. 

"What?" she asked a little sharply.

"The team was hoping you'd come along for some fun at the beach."

Raven rolled her eyes. "I don't do beaches."

"Oh, come on, Raven. What're you afraid of?"

"Maybe I'll burst into flames," she suggested with dry sarcasm before attempting to close the door.

Cyborg, though, put his arm in the way. "Robin's coming."

"Good. I'll be able to get some personal work done around here, then."

Cyborg sighed. "Why don't you want to come? Honestly, why not?"

Raven glared at him for a moment, and then said, "Because I'm not wanted there."

"You're part of the team. You're wanted everywhere."

"Regardless of you feel," Raven said stiffly, "Robin and I don't get along anymore."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"What do _you_ think?"

"_I_ think you should slap on that spicy little number you've got buried in your closet and just forget yourself for a day. You don't have to party, but you don't have to be uptight either."

Stunned by how forward he was, Raven could only stare as Cyborg turned and left. Closing the door, she went to her closet and slid the door open. Slowly, she dug through a small pile of discarded uniforms that she kept forgetting to wash, pulling out a small, black plastic bag.

With reluctance, the Goth opened the bag and withdrew a simple black bikini. Raven wasn't the kind to cover up her whole body, and she knew that dressing like a tramp only brought trouble, which is why she had purchased a modest piece of swimwear.

_Guess I better try it on_, she thought, moving to the mirror on her wall and changing. Once finished, she examined her reflection. _Runner-up for Miss Titan much_, she thought wryly. _Still, might as well try to salvage the day while I'm dressed for success_.

Grabbing her cloak, she put it back on and exited her chambers, heading towards the living room. As she walked, she thought about her recent actions towards Robin.

_Maybe I was too hard on him. Vampires and lycans may be rivals, but I'm not your ordinary vampire, and Robin's not your ordinary boy. He was trained by the Batman; of_ course _he'd have exceptional hearing_. She sighed. _I should apologize to him_.

Her mind made up, she felt herself becoming less strained. She'd obviously made the right choice. Entering the living room, she immediately noticed a sobbing Beast Boy move away from the couch, where Robin was still incapacitated.

Rolling her eyes at how stupid boys could be, Raven approached the couch, moving to stand in front of her leader. Robin watched her for a moment before speaking.

"Raven," he said neutrally. "I hope you're doing well."

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it, unable to make the words come out.

"What?" Robin asked.

Again, Raven tried to speak, but though she had mustered some courage, she didn't have enough to say what needed to be said.

"If you need to say something, just spill," the Boy Wonder told her.

Before Raven could stop herself, it happened.

WAP!

Her hand, cold as ice, smacked against his cheek. Robin's head snapped to the side, his cheek burning from Raven's slap.

As she stood there, breathing deeply, she said, "I...I..." Giving up, she gave a frustrated growl and stormed over to the kitchen, taking a seat.

* * *

"Thanks again for agreeing to watch the Tower while we're out," Cyborg said, clapping Aqualad on the shoulder. 

"It's nothing, really," the mariner insisted. "I've always wanted to check this place out."

"Really? That's great, but you can't go into certain places because they're really dangerous."

"Places like where?"

"Oh, Raven and Robin's rooms. I'd avoid Beast Boy's too; he never cleans it up."

"Hey!" Beast Boy called from the kitchen. "Hello! I'm right here! I heard everything you just said about me!"

"Good. You can start cleaning your room now."

"Dude, my room is perfectly fine! _I_ feel okay in there!"

"That's because you're an animal."

Beast Boy's jaw dropped, and he turned his back to Cyborg, arms crossed.

"He'll get over it," Cyborg said unconcernedly. "Now, if any alarms go off or anything, just press the big red button on the command console, okay?"

Aqualad raised an eyebrow. "Aren't big red buttons always the self-destruct ones?"

"Nah, that's the blue one."

"Are we all ready now?" Starfire called loudly as she entered the living room. She wore a white-and-green-striped shirt and burgundy hot pants, along with a wide-brimmed straw hat.

Glancing around the room, she looked over each Titan carefully before saying, "It is time for waterside activities!"

* * *

"Are we there yet?" 

"For the trillionth time, Beast Boy, we've been 'there' for the past half hour!" Cyborg snapped.

The beach was a little crowded, but the Titans had managed to procure a spot only a dozen yards from the water, which made for easy access. Setting up their "gear" had been simple enough, and before long they were all relaxing in lawn chairs in some umbrella shade.

"Cyborg, can I ask you something?" Robin said.

"Shoot."

"How can we all enjoy the beach when you're half-machine and I'm still wrapped up in a carpet?"

Cyborg grinned. "Got it all worked out. I kick back here and read a computer manual while you and the girls go splash around."

"While I'm in my _costume_?"

The other's grin widened. "Don't worry, bro, I brought you a spare."

Cyborg reached into the duffel bag he had brought along and produced a swimsuit, dropping onto Robin's "chest area."

The leader eyed it suspiciously. "That looks like a Speedo."

"Trust me, man, you will be hotness in that thing."

Robin glowered at his friend, but changed when he was unrolled, the carpet used as a partition. When finished, the boy immediately jumped into a lawn chair, sinking as deep as he could.

"What's the matter, Robin?" Cyborg asked, barely keeping himself from smiling too much.

"Nothing," the other said meekly.

"Oh, come on now, Rob. You're up to something. Why don't you just tell it like it is?"

Robin glared heatedly at Cyborg. "You gave me a _thong_."

"He did?" Starfire asked, and grabbed Robin from his chair. Bending over, she looked at his posterior eagerly. "Ooooh! It is very fitting for you, Robin!"

"Starfire!" Robin said, frantically pushing away from her.

"Dude, what's the big deal?" Beast Boy asked. "Look, _I'm_ wearing a Speedo." He stood up from his chair and put his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, an ugly brown one," Cyborg pointed out.

While Beast Boy fumed at the remark, Robin said, "It's not the same. Wearing a Speedo is one thing, but wearing a thong is completely different."

"Man, just get over yourself," Cyborg said. "If you can't handle your own sexuality, who can?"

Robin blushed. "That's not the point here—"

"I am afraid that I must agree with Cyborg," Starfire interrupted. "If you have good looks, why hide them? I appreciate your appearance very much. How about you, Raven?"

In response, the Goth girl only muttered something indecipherable. Starfire giggled as she turned back to Robin.

"Everything is fine, Robin," she said assuredly. "See? I am dressed for the occasion." Here, she took off her shirt and hot pants, revealing a simple green bikini, hardly enough to cause an erection.

Beast Boy, however, still wolf-whistled.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" a girl's soft voice asked as the owner approached.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Tower, Aqualad was relaxing on the sofa. As the comfortable furniture unwound him, he pressed Play on the remote control, eager to watch the movie he had inserted. The Atlantean couldn't believe his luck when he ad found a dirty movie in Beast Boy's DVD collection, and had immediately rushed back to the living room with the film. Swiping a drink, which had been left out, he had plopped down for a _very_ enjoyable afternoon.

Unfortunately, he wasn't going to get one.

Just as he started to sip the delicious beverage, the Tower's alarms went off. Spitting out his drink, the boy blinked in surprise, and then leapt for the control console. He didn't make it in time, however, as the TV displayed a close-up image of Slade, who immediately began speaking.

"So, young Robin, you've fallen into my clutches for the final time, I see," Slade drawled.

Aqualad cocked an eyebrow. _I'm not Robin. Is this guy loaded or something?_

"You see, Robin, I say 'the final time' because you won't be able to cure the poison now coursing through your system."

Aqualad's jaw dropped. _Poison? Oh crap!_

"The poison, which I've placed in the cup on your kitchen counter, will start to take effect very shortly," Slade said. "Enjoy your last moments alive, Robin."

Aqualad's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he stared at the cup in his hand.

He'd just drank the poison!

* * *

When the girl stopped a few feet from the heroes, they all sprung into action, ready for a fight. 

The girl, however, only rolled her eyes. "Oh please," Jinx yawned, "this is the beach. I've got better things to do than fight you nitwits."

"Oh yeah?" Beast Boy challenged. "What things?"

"My time, for one," Jinx replied smoothly.

"With skin as pale as yours, you'll need to be out all day for that," Cyborg said.

Jinx snorted. "At least I don't look as sickly as your wannabe Goth does."

Raven narrowed her eyes, glaring out from under her drawn hood.

"Not to start a conversation with the enemy, but why are you here?" Starfire asked.

Jinx sighed exasperatedly. "I already said I'm here to relax, so drop those cheesy action poses, you _Charlie's Angels_ rip-offs."

The heroes relaxed, but kept a wary watch on the Hive operative.

Jinx eyed Robin suspiciously. "Whatcha sitting in the lawn chair for?"

"No reason," Robin answered with a hint of nervousness.

Jinx wasn't buying it. She scrutinized the Boy Wonder from a distance, since the other Titans probably wouldn't let her closer.

In retaliation, Robin asked, "What kind of skimpy swimwear is that?"

Grinning, Jinx gestured to herself. "You mean my G-string bikini? Makes me look sexy, don't you think?"

Robin had to admit that such a statement wasn't far off. Even though Jinx was a criminal, stick-thin, and an A-cup who looked almost flat chested, she looked kind of appealing in her maroon bikini. Beast Boy was certainly taking the time to drool over the sight in front of him.

"Hey!" Jinx snapped when she noticed Beast Boy's actions. "Eyes off the goods, shorty!"

"Why do I not believe you're here for nothing but the sun?" Cyborg asked the Hex Princess suspiciously.

Jinx crossed her arms over her chest. "Because you're a rusted hunk of scrap metal with the brains of an oyster." Deciding the man-machine wasn't worth her attention anymore, she focused again on Robin. "What _is_ your problem?"

Robin felt goosebumps cover his entire body as he smiled nervously. "No problem! I'm fine, just swell, just enjoying the lovely weather!"

Jinx raised an eyebrow, not believing him. She stared hard at his Speedo for a moment, and then waved a hand, summoning up a small viewing portal, which promptly displayed Robin's posterior.

Jinx's eyes flew open, and she burst into laughter. "Whuh-huh-ho! Looking _good_ there, hero!"

Robin's own eyes went wide, and he leapt forward, dashing his hand through the portal and dispelling the image. Unfortunately, this gave Jinx the chance to see his backside without needing magic, and she seized the moment.

She whistled as she leaned around him, taking in the view. "He's lettin' it all hang out!"

His face redder than the Flash's costume, Robin took off to the T-Car at top speed, and locking himself in.

"I do not understand," Starfire said. "Does Robin not like being complimented for having an appealing posterior?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy were too busy laughing to respond, and Raven didn't feel like explaining anything. More than ever, the Goth wished she had just stayed home.

Still grinning like the Cheshire Cat, Jinx said, "You know, you guys may not be half-bad after all, if you're leader's got as sexy a butt as that."

"Let's just get back to the Tower," Raven said.

Calming himself, Cyborg nodded. "Yeah, we been gone long enough, and with Robin not joining in, we might as well leave—"

Beep beep!

"Hold on, got a call from Aqualad." Cyborg removed the phone from his arm and answered it. "Hey, Aqualad, how's it going? You were watching a movie...Slade called...drank a poisonous drink..." He paused while the Atlantean shrieked for help for a moment. "Gotta break it to you, man, that was all just a gag...No, the dirty movie too...Yeah, we were just messing with you. See ya later." He hung up.

Jinx stared at him. "You play head games with your friends?"

Cyborg shrugged. "Chance only comes along every once so often. Gotta take advantage of it, right?"

* * *

"What in the heck were you thinking?" Aqualad thundered at Cyborg and Beast Boy. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" 

Cyborg sighed heavily. "You're right, man. We're sorry we did that to you."

Aqualad blinked. "You are?"

"Yeah—but I don't know if Beast Boy is. It was his idea."

The metamorph's eyes widened in terror as Aqualad turned a very dark glare his way.

"Crud," he squeaked.

* * *

Upstairs, Raven had been heading to her room, eager to change back to her costume, when she bumped into Robin. 

"Sorry, Raven," he apologized as he helped her up. "I was actually looking for you."

"What for?"

Robin scratched the back of his head. "Well, to say that I'm not angry at you for the way you acted. It was entirely my fault, on both of those occasions."

Raven averted her gaze from the boy. "Actually, you have every right to be angry. I let myself get carried away because of subculture hype. I shouldn't have acted so rashly."

There was a brief silence before Robin asked, "Not to be bothersome, but you never took off your cloak at the beach. Were you wearing a swimsuit beneath it or not?"

Wordlessly, Raven opened up her cloak, giving him a perfect view of her modest attire.

"You know, you actually look pretty good," he complimented. "Did you ever swim back home?"

"Azarath never had any pools, so no one ever had any bathing suits."

"Oh, uh, right."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, actually. I just wanted to let you know I wasn't mad at you or anything."

"Fine. If you'll excuse me, I have to get out of this and into something more comfortable."

She moved past him and down the hall, disappearing into her room. When she had gone, Robin heaved a sigh of relief. _Step one towards friendship complete_, he thought. _Now I just need to get here to hold a relatively pleasant conversation with me, and we're back to being friends_.

* * *

AUTHOR: Not too bad, I hope! I tried my best, what with college coming up and all! 

NEXT: Step Up—Robin tries to improve his and Raven's friendship further, while Starfire makes the decision to start posing nude.

READ N REVIEW!


	5. Step Up

Taste Of Life

By Blackheart Syaoran

AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing and sorry for the wait!

TO ChocolateCurlz: Yeah, Cyborg's the man.

TO Dark Weezing: I intend to stick with the dark-and-heavy mood for the rest of the fic to maintain the dark romance status.

TO The Goth Witch: I like the name you use here. Glad I caught your interest. Are you serious, because we've never met? Thanks for the compliments.

TO Hooded Kaio Ghost: I might have implied lemons, but I really can't say.

READ BOTH BELOW ENTRIES!

TO ALL-1: If Starfire posing nude bothers you, then I strongly urge you to **never** pick up a _Teen Titans_ comic, as Marv Wolfman and George Perez had her stark naked constantly.

TO ALL-2: Several people have complained about the rating of this story. I will only say this once: I don't take orders from _anybody_. Unless you make an extremely good point and _suggest_ I change the rating, I will give you one warning and then I will **ban** you from my fics. This goes for **everyone**.

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Chapter 5: Step Up

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_Broken _

_Yeah, you been living at the edge of a broken dream _

_(Lyrics from Drowning Pool's "Step Up" off The Punisher soundtrack.) _

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It was raining again, and for that, Raven was oddly grateful. She supposed that, with all the antics that had been going on recently and their occurrence during good weather, she had developed a brief, subconscious dislike of favorable atmospheric conditions.

Regardless, the girl found herself hovering cross-legged in her room, staring dully out her window at the equally dull skies. Not long ago, she had been trying to meditate, attempting to clear her mind of the recent petty events, but had given up when her efforts proved fruitless.

_This could go on forever_, she thought disdainfully. She was referring to the currently tense situation between her and Robin. Though she dearly wanted the trust they shared to be restored to its former status, she wasn't sure if she could make that happen.

_Do I even_ want _it to happen?_ she wondered. The thought of never fully repairing the damaged trust had played out in her mind several times now, and she would admit to no one but herself that the possibility of never again fully trusting her leader truly frightened her. Having grown up in a society founded on control and purity, the idea of being "out of the loop" was more than a little unsettling: If she lost touch with the things she needed in life, she might never really continue living.

Sighing, she stopped levitating and walked over to a black, nondescript nightstand positioned in the corner, its simple design rendering it all but invisible. With a reluctant heart, she slowly pulled out the only drawer and removed a smooth black case the size of a palm pilot.

Holding it up for inspection, she decided it had not been tampered with by a meddling Beast Boy, and then held it to her chest.

She took a deep breath, her nerves threatening to overwhelm her.

"Forgive me," she said softly, quietly, and then left the room.

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It was almost noon, and Robin still couldn't think of the right line to start the conversation with. If he went up and said, "We need to talk," he was sure that the other Titan would probably interrupt him with some meaningless question or some such.

If he began with, "I was thinking…" then the other young hero would dominate the conversation, and he would get a chance to get what he needed from it.

If he said nothing at all…well, that scenario was just plain ugly.

He sighed, dropping his head into his hands and rubbed his eyes, hard enough to make them hurt. For some reason, he admired the ability to suffer, to endure pain. He had wondered if it would have been best to tell Batgirl, or Nightwing, or even Alfred, but no, in his life, all paths led back to the Dark Knight, and Batman would have had Doctor Thompkins give him some ridiculous mental examination despite the fact she wasn't a shrink.

"Robin," a familiar voice called to him, and he opened his eyes and raised his head to find Raven standing in front of him, holding a small case.

"Raven," he said. "I was hoping you were Beast Boy."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Don't like me anymore?"

"No, it's just that I think best when I'm surrounded by white noise."

"Fascinating," the Goth replied dryly. She paused for a moment. "I need your help with something."

"Your wish is my command."

"Stop it," she snapped. "I'm not here to be amused, Robin, I'm here to try and mend our relationship by the only means possible."

"Sorry. What did you need?"

Again, she paused, this time taking a deep breath. "This is going to sound completely out of the blue, but I…I need you to agree to be with me."

He blinked, confused. "Be with you?"

She nodded. "Yes, be with me. In the deepest, truest sense of the phrase."

Unfortunately, due to his detective's training, it took less than a minute for him to realize what she meant.

"Whoa."

"Robin, please, I'm practically begging you here."

"Raven, you don't have to do this to yourself. I already trust you to the point of placing my life in your hands, because I know you aren't the kind of person to abuse trust. You're a _good_ person, Raven." He stopped, and dropped his eyes to the floor. "And I'm not. I told you, I can't love anyone because it makes them a target."

She frowned, raising a hand and poking one finger into his cheek. She held it there as she said, "I know what you're saying, and I accept it, but that doesn't mean you can't love at all. You can't express your emotions, but I have to live with the fact that I can pretty much never even _have_ them. I only feel sparks, Robin, sparks of life that I'm forbidden to embrace because of what might happen if I delve too deeply into myself. I only have sparks and concepts to apply to life. I have no hope of ever truly living, but I entertain the possibility that I might one day be free."

She paused, and lowered her hand from his face while extending the black case to him. "I know this is asking everything of you, but I have little choice. I don't want either of us to go away without our friendship being put in its rightful place, so I'm taking this risk by asking of both of us the one thing we normally would never do."

Blinking again, still a little confused, Robin took the black case and cautiously opened it. Inside was a single item: A braided silk wristband with a few ordinary-looking beads looped onto it.

"If you accept that, we'll be permanently united as husband and wife," Raven told the stunned young man. "You don't have the power to tell someone openly that you love them, and I don't have the power to love at all, so I guess that makes us even. If it doesn't, then I guess I might actually have a death wish."

He stared at her, unable to speak a single syllable.

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The man behind the desk, Geoff, was similarly stunned silent, though for different reasons. Across from him, serene as can be, was an alien princess who had just asked to hire a photographer to take exotic pictures of her.

_Please, let me be drunk_, he inwardly begged God. _If I'm drunk, then the superheroes won't kill me for this_.

Swallowing repeatedly, he found his voice again and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this, Miss, um…?"

"My name is Starfire," she supplied. "And yes, I do wish this. My friends are in trouble, and if I do not act quickly, something terrible could happen to them."

"Then shouldn't you tell the police?"

"This is a matter of the heart, not the law!" she explained.

"Right, right, sorry. But I think I can find a guy who'll do what's needed. His name is McKone, and he's been begging me for work all week. Here's his number."

"Thank you, kind sir. I look forward to my session."

With that, she got up and left, leaving Geoff to wonder whether or not he was under the influence.

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"You still alive in there?" Raven asked, looking closely at her leader's features.

"Raven, I…I don't know what to say," he confessed. "On the one hand, it's great to know you'd go this far for someone, but on the other hand, it's unfair."

"Unfair how?"

"For one thing, there's Starfire. It's no secret that we have a relationship. I care about her, and sometimes I think I care about her more than I do most girls."

"Well, you don't have to worry about Starfire," Raven informed him. "All the things that have been happening to us, all the strange goings-on, have probably been caused by Starfire."

Robin's jaw threatened to drop through the floor and down to the lowest sublevel of the Tower. "Starfire? Are you _kidding_ me?"

Raven shook her head. "I'm dead serious. She's a lot more complex than any of us have probably given her credit for, and I know her life's story. She comes from a kind of warrior culture, so I wouldn't underestimate her strategic capabilities."

"She can't be the only one in this, and since Beast Boy is a complete moron when it comes to thinking something out, I'm guessing Cyborg is in on the act."

"Good looks, cool costume, and master deduction skills," Raven complimented matter-of-factly. "How would I live without you?"

The leader of the Titans held up the trinket, staring at it intently. "I need to think about this, Raven. You're asking me to scrap my views on life and death and come up with new ones. That isn't easily done."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Take whatever time you need. It's never easy letting go of your beliefs." She turned to leave, and then stopped. "One last thing."

"Yes?"

"I need your answer before dinner tomorrow. I said you can take your time, but I don't want you to take too long."

She left, and Robin turned his attention back to the simplistically beautiful wedding band.

_If I say yes, I damn my friend and trusted teammate to my own personal hell_, he thought miserably. _If I say no, I damn her to a hell no one should experience_.

He reached up with a hand, touching the R on his chest.

"Give me the strength," he asked softly, quietly.

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AUTHOR: A little short, perhaps, but the chapter's goal focus was on character development, not length. I aim to get them done right, not long-winded. I wonder if any of you can find the subtle plug to reality I put in one scene?

NEXT: (It's a surprise, but feel free to guess.)

READ N REVIEW!


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